Customers often don’t purchase products based solely on their quality. Rather, a customer typically purchases a product from among its vast competitors for the feelings associated with that item, or for its brand identity.
As such, as a company executive, if your sales have been slumping lately or you feel the company’s image is outdated, it may be time to redesign your logo. Here are three indicators that the time has arrived to hire a professional designer and redefine your brand identity.
1. Think About the Current Logo
One way to determine if a redesign is in order is to consider the image portrayed by the current logo. Think about how many years the logo has been in use and who originally designed it. Many new company owners ask friends or family members to design their logos to save on business start-up costs. While that decision can help save money, it often results in an ineffective corporate identity.
Another option is to ask frequent customers for their input on the company’s current identity. This could involve asking the customers directly or sending out a survey asking for feedback on the current logo and how it could be updated. The responses will likely contain useful information and tips you may not have previously considered.
2. Research the Competition
Researching the logos of your competition can provide insight into the effectiveness of their corporate identities. While you certainly don’t want to copy their branding techniques, researching their marketing materials can provide valuable information on if you are ahead or behind their marketing efforts.
3. Consider the Future
One main reason many company owners redesign their logos is because their companies are moving in new directions. If you are currently taking the business in a new direction, this can be the perfect time to develop a new logo. By doing so, you will be ensuring a unified mission from the products and services you sell to the marketing image you portray.
Develop an Action Plan
If, after the research phase, you discover that a new logo is needed, the next step is developing an action plan. If you aren’t a professional graphic designer, then it’s best to hire one for the redesign project. This will ensure a professional product is developed that will match your new corporate identity.
When you are considering a few available graphic designers, ask for examples of their previous designs and for reference information. Viewing their previous work and contacting references are two necessary steps to ensure you hire a professional with the experience needed to update your corporate image. The last thing you want is to pay top dollar for a designer, only then to receive a subpar product.
Your corporate identity provides the first impression for potential customers. As such, by initiating a redevelopment of that identity to make it reflect the company’s current mission, you will be more likely to attract new customers and retain current ones. In today’s competitive market, the only way to beat out the competition is to provide a desirable brand and identity.
